On Their Own
by Sailor Silver Ladybug
Summary: On Her Own: Book 2. Just as everything has settled down after Metalia's defeat and Usagi and Mamoru are celebrating spending time with their friends, a vortex appears in the sky and the couple are pulled in, leaving their friends behind in Tokyo to face a new threat on their own. Meanwhile Mamoru and Usagi have to discover where they are and how to get home.
1. Prologue: Vortex

**Disclaimer:** Again, I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the canon characters. My original characters as well as any changes to characters and plots are mine to use. I will not receive monetary compensation for this work.

**Author's Note:** This is the doom tree arc with a twist. One I truly hope you enjoy. The idea came to me after I threw up my hands at a one-shot I just wasn't sure what to do with. So I decided to combine the one shot with this story and see what I could come up with. Now that I have an idea of what is going to happen I love it, but let me tell you, trying to figure out what to do next was harder than normal. People really seemed to enjoy On Her Own and I want them to enjoy this story as well.

**Reader's Note:** If you haven't already read On Her Own, please do so before starting this story. There will be more than one POV in this story. If you want other updates and hints to my stories, you can always check out my blog. Go to tumblr and search sailorsilverladybug.

**Acknowledgements:** I have to thank my readers. All of you who favorited, followed, and reviewed. You are wonderful! I wouldn't be able to keep going without you.

* * *

**On Their Own**  
**On Her Own: Book Two**  
**Prologue  
Vortex  
**

* * *

Usagi held Mamoru's hand in hers, not minding in the least that he couldn't seem to handle being separated from her. Truth be told, she hated being away from him for more than a few minutes. Unfortunately, they both had school to get through most days, and even though the Dark Kingdom was gone there was still the occasional Youma. Responsibility weighed heavily on both of them.

"Wait. Hold it," Rei said. Usagi turned to look at her, but the miko wasn't talking to them. She had her hands on her hips and was glaring at Jadeite. "You talked to my grandfather about it instead of coming to me?" She didn't look entirely angry. More confused. Usagi wondered what was going on.

"Come on," Mamoru whispered in her ear. "I want a few minutes alone."

Usagi giggled and followed after him as he tugged her hand. They raced down the hill together, hands still clasped, and she couldn't help but laugh at the relieved expression on his face when Mamoru looked back to see the others still standing around under the tree, looking at Rei and Jadeite, whose face was red.

"What do you think he asked?" Usagi wondered as they made it to the tree line.

"No idea," Mamoru admitted. "There's our bench," he added, pointing to a bench both of them always seemed to find themselves sitting on when their day went wrong. It was as though there had been an unspoken truce in that one spot. Now that they had been friends for months and dating for weeks, Usagi hardly thought about the bench anymore. Together they moved toward it.

"I want to take you on a date," Mamoru said as they settled onto the hard surface. He wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned back, closing his eyes. Usagi tucked herself up against him, cuddling close, and closed her own.

"Where to?" she asked curiously.

Mamoru sighed. "I don't know," he admitted. "Somewhere fun I guess. Maybe we could go to the amusement park."

"You wouldn't like that very much Mamo-chan," Usagi argued. "There are a lot of people there."

"I don't mind them when I'm with you." Usagi felt waves of contentment coming through their Soul-Bond and snuggled even closer. Sometimes he said the sweetest things.

"You know," she started, "we could always do something a little less wild and go to-" Usagi was cut off as a harsh wind seemed to slap at them both.

Opening her eyes, Usagi turned to look toward the stream and gasped. Instead of seeing the bridge and the stream and the trees, all she could see was a massive, swirling black shadow. She instinctively leaned away from it, sensing danger.

"What the hell?" Mamoru asked, his arms wrapping tighter around Usagi as both of them began to feel pulled. She turned and grabbed the back of the bench as Mamoru wrapped his arms fully around her. "I don't like this!" he shouted over the wind, which was growing louder and more violent.

"We have to get out of here," Usagi whimpered.

"I know," Mamoru shouted, his words torn away by the ever-increasing wind. "We need help."

Usagi looked up the hill under the tree where the others were still talking. None of them had even noticed what was happening. "Help!" Usagi screamed. She saw Minako's head come up and the eight protectors all leapt into action, racing down the hill.

The wind grew worse. It seemed as though it was trying to suck them into the shadowy vortex that had formed. Usagi screamed again as her fingers were pulled off the back of the bench. Only Mamoru's arms kept her from flying backwards into the portal and she could tell he was about to lose his grip. She turned in his arms, wrapping both of hers around his neck and tucking her head under his chin so he could hold to the bench with both hands.

"I can't-" Mamoru shouted.

It was too late. All at once it felt as though they were being sucked into an airless tube. Usagi wanted to scream, but there was no breath in her body. She clung to Mamoru and felt his arms around her as they were dragged from the bench and into the swirling storm of wind. Everything went dark and silent. There was no noise. No air. No light.

And then they were falling. Falling and falling until they splashed down into deep water. With no air in her lungs Usagi spluttered and coughed and sucked down a lungful of water. Her vision went grey and in moments she had lost consciousness.


	2. Chapter 1: Missing

**Author's Notes:** I want to apologize for the long wait on updates to my stories. I feel like I am always saying that. Unfortunately, between my health and the occasional bout of writer's block, updates have been slow. I did update all my stories in January and I am working to edit all of them, which is taking longer than I thought it would. I have also been busy working on my novel and that takes a lot of my time. I'm hoping to have that finished and published by December of this year. Woot!.

Anyways, if you want you can always check out my blog on Tumblr for updates and sneak peeks. Search SailorSilverLadybug. I also include a bunch of information about writing fanfiction, including how to make a created character, common acronyms, and a bunch of other stuff you might find interesting. It's a relatively new blog, but I am really happy with it.

Happy Reading!  
Sailor Silver Ladybug  
Tori

* * *

**On Their Own**  
**On Her Own: Book Two**  
**Chapter One  
Missing  
**

* * *

**Minako and Kunzite**

* * *

Minako watched in fascination as Rei, who had been rather quiet since she and Usagi had healed their friendship, suddenly turned on Jadeite, looking confused. "Wait. Hold it," Rei said, her hands on her hips as she glared at the other teen. "You talked to my grandfather about it instead of coming to me?" There was a mixture of anger and confusion on her face.

"Hai," Jadeite said, bowing his head. "I needed his permission to ask."

What in the name of Venus were they talking about? Minako watched the play of emotions over both their faces and wished she had heard the beginning of the conversation. She wanted to know what was happening.

Rei's face was a mix of white and pink, as though all the blood had drained from her face and then rushed right back. It took Minako a moment to realize Rei was blushing. What could make the priestess blush? The raven-haired miko bit her lip and peeked up at Jadeite from under her eyelashes.

"You want to?" she asked, so softly that Minako almost didn't hear her.

"Of course I do," Jadeite said, a hint of his smile returned. "I love you."

The words were spoken with such emotion that Minako almost took a step back. She could see the reddish cord of their Soul-Bond from their former life growing right in front of her eyes. Strands of silver and gold filtered through the bond and Minako sighed happily. Their love was healing them. They hadn't reforged the Bond yet, and that was okay. It was what was right for them.

In front of all of them, Jadeite knelt and pulled out a tiny grey box covered in a velvet-like material. He opened it, holding the ring up to Rei, who was blushing furiously now. "Please Rei, say yes. I will always be there for you. If you need a shoulder to cry on, you can cry on mine. If you need someone to scream at, I'm there. If you just want someone to hold you, that's me. I won't ever let anyone hurt you again Rei. Please say yes."

Rei was weeping openly. Tears streaked her cheeks, but her lilac eyes were bright and shimmering and there was a small smile on her face. She nodded her head once, then threw herself at Jadeite, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Of course," she said. "Of course I'll marry you!"

The rest of them watched in awe. Minako had thought it would be a much longer struggle for Rei to accept a proposal. After everything she had been through Minako and the other girls had been secretly watched the romance unfolding between Rei and Jadeite with awe. They were going to get married. How crazy was that?

She turned to Usagi to jump and squeal about the newest development, only to discover that both Usagi and Mamoru were missing. She thought she heard a shout for help and turned her head slightly. Her jaw dropped and Minako screamed at the sight of a massive hole in mid-air, swirling black lines surrounding it. Mamoru and Usagi were far too close to it. Alone.

"They need us!" she shouted. Without so much as thinking of waiting for the others she took off. She could feel Kunzite at her side, felt his worry and fear through the bond. Whatever that portal was, it was trying to suck Mamoru and Usagi up. They raced as fast as they could, but by the time they reached the bench where the couple had been clinging, they were gone.

As was the portal.

Usagi and Mamoru were missing. She turned, slowly, to the others, unsure what to say or do. Never had leadership weighed so heavily on her shoulders. "Ami?" she asked as the bluenette arrived, Mercury computer held up and her visor down over her eyes, though she wasn't transformed.

"This is quite strange," Ami said, her voice soft but full of worry. "It's as though all the normal energy for this one point in space has been drained to almost nothing. I think that vortex was gathering energy and took them accidentally."

"Will it come back?" Minako asked. "Will they come back?"

"I honestly don't know," Ami said, biting her lower lip. "Zo? Any ideas?"

Zoicite was holding his own mini-computer. There was a small sensor in his hand and he was walking around the bench and the area with his head lowered, frustration obvious on his face. "There's nothing to tell us where the vortex came from," he said after several long minutes. "It's almost as though it never existed. But the readings indicate that the entire area has been drained. Look." He pointed to the trees surrounding them.

Minako turned. The trees were dead or dying. The leaves were brown and dropping rapidly. The trunks almost looked wilted. These were no longer healthy young trees. They were sick.

"Alright," Minako said, beginning to pace. She looked over at Kunzite.

::Rei could check the fire,:: her Soul-Bonded suggested through their mental link.

::Good idea,:: she answered. ::We should probably call Artemis,:: she added.

::And Luna,:: Kunzite reminded her.

Minako bit her lip. The last thing she wanted to do was tell the little black cat her charge was missing. Again.

"Right," she said. "Split up. Ami and Zo, I want the two of you researching what this thing could have been and where it might have come from. Rei and Jadeite, check the fire and talk to Grandfather. Nephrite and Makoto, call in the others. We need to patrol the city and find out if this portal thing hit anywhere else. Kunzite and I are going to go talk to Luna and Artemis. And Usagi's parents."

The others nodded to her. Before they left however, Ami raced over and gave Minako a hug. Moments later Rei and Makoto had joined her. The four girls stood, silently supporting one another as they worried about their best friend. Wherever she was, Minako prayed Usagi was alright.

* * *

Kunzite gripped Minako's hand in his, trying to send her comfort and strength through their bond as they entered the large dwelling that had become their home. He could feel her shaking fingers in his grip and wished, more than anything, that he could take the burden away from her. He didn't though. Minako was strong and knew what she was doing. As the leader of the Princess' guard, she had a deep understanding of the dangers Usagi could be facing.

He was the same with Mamoru. It was difficult, knowing his Prince was out of reach. He felt as though he had failed and he knew Minako felt the same way. Now they had to face Usagi's parents, and the cats.

Shaking his head, Kunzite squeezed her fingers gently as they entered the library. Ikuko and Kenji were sorting through some of the books Mamoru had purchased as well as the ones that had been appearing almost non-stop in the command center. Artemis was looking at the screen of a small computer that had been set on a desk in the corner. Luna was pouring through a book on ancient laws of the Venusians and the Soul-Bond.

Minako cleared her throat, catching everyone's attention. Kunzite automatically squeezed her hand in his again, giving her his support. He wanted to take the burden away from her, carry all of her problems for her, but he knew she needed to do this for herself. As her man it was his responsibility to stand at her side and support her, not take over. As much as it killed him, he would do just that.

Luna hopped down from the desk and moved closer to them. It was as if she sensed something was wrong. Artemis moved to flank her. Usagi's parents both dropped what they were doing and turned, looking concerned. Minako took a deep breath and looked at him once before she opened her mouth.

"Something happened at the park," she started. When no one said a word, she squared her shoulders and continued. "There was some sort of portal. Ami and Zo will look into it for us and I've got everyone already in action but..." she stopped and bit her lip, her fingernails digging into his hand as she raised her head and looked Usagi's mother in the eye. "Mamoru and Usagi were dragged into the portal. We don't know if it was after them in particular but, whatever the reason, it appeared right in front of them and they were pulled in. Kunzite and I are going to find a way to get them back. I promise you."

Kunzite couldn't stop thinking about the night when Rei had been taken by Zoicite. The way Usagi had gone silent and then disappeared. He wondered if she had felt as awful looking into Grandfather's face as he did in that moment meeting Kenji's eyes. That mixture of pain and hope swirling in the blue depths so like Usagi's tore at his heart.

"Were they in henshin?" Artemis asked.

The question surprised Kunzite. He'd expected the cats to berate them for losing the royals, but it looked as though Artemis was more focused on damage control and getting them back. There was no censure in his blue eyes and as Kunzite watched, Artemis came closer and wrapped himself around Minako's ankles in support.

"No."

"Were there any witnesses?" Luna asked.

"Maybe, but no one close," Minako answered, sounding calmer. In spite of being responsible for the Inner Senshi, she was worried and obviously needed support and comfort.

Kenji had one arm wrapped around Ikuko's waist, the other gripped the back of one of the chairs surrounding the long table where they had been sorting through the books. He was swaying slightly on his feet and for a moment Kunzite thought he might pass out, but he shook his head, stood straighter, and moved towards the computer, dragging Ikuko with him.

"Mamoru is with her," he said softly to his wife as they moved.

Kunzite wasn't surprised they were upset, but their inner strength always got to him. He wondered what his own parents would have done if they discovered he had powers. Would they have been as supportive as Usagi's? He shook his own head. Now wasn't the time to lose himself in memories. Usagi and Mamoru needed him.

"Alright," Artemis was saying. "We report them missing as Youma victims. There's a program for it now with all the teens who have missed school due to attacks. Ikuko, Kenji, can you handle it? There may be reporters because this is so different from any of the normal attacks."

Ami and Zoicite ran into the room before they could answer. "Three more of the portals appeared at the exact same time as the one that took Mamoru and Usagi," Ami said, panting slightly between words. "Two others are missing. A teenage girl and a middle aged man. Both taken from different portals. But that's not all..." she trailed off, seeing the upset on everyone's faces.

Zoicite took up the explanation. "It seems as though the vortex appeared where it could find the most energy. The first one took Mamoru and Usagi, which means the Silver Crystal and the Gold Crystal. They are the most potent energy source on the planet aside from maybe the Topaz Sun Crystal, but Haruki and Sets were in Elysion with Heliodor, Shingo and Hotaru. The other portals went for places where there was a high concentration of energy as well. They all hit within Tokyo, but at or near power stations except the one in the park. There is a lot of damage and dozens of people were injured."

"On it," Artemis said. "First, I need Minako and Kunzite as well as Ikuko and Kenji to call the police and report Mamoru and Usagi as missing. The story is you saw them taken, panicked and ran here to tell their parents before anything else. We can't let anyone connect them being missing to the lack of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen however. You two will have to make sure they are seen," he added, looking over Kunzite and Minako.

"Hai," Minako whispered. She pulled out the crescent compact. "The Luna Pen would have been in Usagi's pocket."

"I can make another," Luna assured her. "Lets get this done. You have to look as panicked and unsure as the families of the others who went missing. Come with me. Artemis, help Ami and Zo find out whatever you can. I don't care what you have to hack. We have to discover the other end of those things. Where are they going? Who is attacking us?"

Kunzite nodded his head and he and Minako followed the others out of the room. He didn't need much urging to feel panic. He had been swallowing it down since he'd seen his friends pulled into the vortex. Letting others see his fear was more difficult. He had always hidden his emotions and projected strength for the others, even if it was just him and the other Shitennou in the Dark Kingdom. He was their leader. They needed him to be strong.

He took a deep breath as Ikuko picked up her phone and dialed emergency services. It was time to peel off the mask for a few minutes. It would be more difficult than anything else he had done in a long time. He wondered if Rei and Jadeite were alright. They obviously hadn't expected their happy moment to be interrupted by an attack like that. He sighed.

* * *

The officers who came to the house an hour later were polite but not hopeful. Minako sat in a chair, Kunzite's arm wrapped around her as she described what she had seen in the sky. "It was massive," she said, letting her fear and anxiety show. "I didn't know what to do. They were just sucked into the air and disappeared and then it was gone."

"This is the third report we've had of people going missing," the officer said.

Minako tried to look shocked. She wasn't sure how successful she was. She was worried about Usagi and Mamoru. Her only consolation was that they were together. They would protect each other and the Soul-Bond would make them stronger. They could communicate without words, which would help if they were being held by an enemy. She was also concerned about the others that had been taken. It was awful knowing they had been, and that they had no powers to protect themselves. She wasn't sure what to do.

"What do we do to find them," Kenji asked, sounding panicked. Minako knew what he was doing. Letting his real fear show. He was probably the strongest person she knew. He hadn't stumbled or freaked when he found out who his children were, merely held and supported them, even though he'd lost his house that same night. He wouldn't give in to panic, but he had to show it now, just as she and the others did.

"There is nothing you can do," the officer said kindly. "The Senshi are out in force. You can't go more than a few blocks without seeing one of the protectors standing on top of a building. They'll find them and bring them home if anyone can. In the meantime there is some paperwork we give to schools or employers to show that the person missing was involved in a Youma attack. Usually they are only passed out in the hospital, but this is different. I've added a note about the type of attack and that they are missing. Try and go about your lives as much as you can. They'll need your support when it's all over."

The other officer nodded. "We understand the boy Mamoru has a lawyer for a guardian?"

"Not anymore," Kenji said softly. "I took him under my guardianship. He and my daughter are getting married and it just seemed easier."

"At least they're together," the first officer said softly. "Wherever they are they can support each other."

"I will warn you," the second officer added. "The press is already all over this. You may be called and asked for interviews so screen your calls if you don't want to do any."

Minako's attention wavered. She and Kunzite still needed to get out there pretending to be Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen. They had to be seen. People had to believe they were still in the city. Not only would it stop people from panicking, it would protect their identities. She wasn't sure exactly how they were going to do it. They had the disguise pens, but that wouldn't change their powers.

Snuggling closer to Kunzite, she put a worried frown on her face and considered her options.

* * *

It was midafternoon when the reporters began to arrive. Minako and Ikuko were busy on their phones, both speaking to reporters who had called. Kenji said the more they tried to hide, the more curious the reporters would get. They would have to give as much information as possible without telling anyone too much. The whole thing made Kunzite feel a bit exposed.

"Come with me Kunzite," Kenji said. "Remember to keep a level head. The story hasn't changed. Everything has to be just as it happened. Don't be nervous."

"I've never talked to reporters," Kunzite reminded him. He knew Kenji had spent years as a reporter, but it wasn't the same thing at all.

"I'll do most of the talking," Kenji promised. "Answer any direct questions with the truth. There is no reason for anyone to suspect you're anything more than a normal teenager." He sighed and peeked through the window beside the door. "Are you ready?"

"Hai," Kunzite said, though he didn't feel ready in the least.

Kenji pulled open the door and immediately the waiting crowd of reporters all started talking and calling out their questions at once. It was like a wave of noise had closed over them. Kunzite felt trapped and he didn't like it. Only Kenji's presence kept him calm.

"Tsukino-san! Over here!" one of the reporters screamed.

Kunzite growled under his breath as he closed the door behind him and followed Kenji out into the front yard. There were reporters everywhere around their property. He wondered if the others who had family missing were being hounded in the same way. Thankfully Kenji was an editor for a major paper in Tokyo. He wasn't upset and knew what to say and do. Kunzite was grateful because he had no clue how to handle it.

Kenji's hands went up and there was silence in the crowd until he spoke. "Yes, it's true my daughter and her fiancé were caught up in one of those black hole things," he said, his voice carrying. "Right now we don't know any more than you do. Kunzite here saw the attack happen. He said it was some sort of portal or vortex in the sky. They were pulled inside and at the moment we don't know where they are. I have to believe this city's Heroes will find them."

"What did the police say?" asked a young woman who held a recorder out in front of her. "Is this like the Youma-monsters?"

"They aren't really sure. We know the bad people have all been healed or destroyed. It could be one of their monsters that got loose, or a new enemy. The police didn't know."

"How is your family taking this? Your daughter is quite young isn't she?"

"She's a teenager, as is Mamoru. I will say I think they are both extremely strong willed and smart. I am praying the kami guide them home."

"What about school?" another reporter asked. He looked young and nervous.

"The police are treating this like a normal Youma attack, so the same things apply here. We received paperwork to turn in to their schools. They will have to make up the work, but the missing time wont be held against them."

After about a dozen more questions, Kenji held up his hands again. "I promise to share any information we get," he told them. "But I do ask that you come to me for answers rather than the kids."

"I don't have any questions," a middle aged female said, stepping forward. "As you are probably already aware, one of my coworkers was also taken. I just wanted to give you my support and tell you he will help them if they're together."

Kenji nodded in thanks and then they were moving back inside. "Is that the end of it?" Kunzite asked.

"No." Kenji shook his head. "Any time there is a development they'll be back at our door asking more questions. You and Minako both need to be aware of who is around you when you talk for a little while. After Mamoru and Usagi come back there will probably be something a bit like what we just saw, but eventually things will die down. They'll have to give some version of their story, but it will be okay."

"You sound so sure," Kunzite said without thinking.

Kenji turned and looked at Kunzite, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder. "I am sure. I've seen what they can do. I've also seen how determined you and Minako are to keep them safe and protected. I have absolutely no doubt they'll find a way home or you two will find a way to get them. I know you always try to be strong for the others, but if you need someone to talk to, come and see me. I know you're only a teenager and that can't be easy with all the responsibility you have on your shoulders. I won't judge," he added.

"Arigato," Kunzite said, feeling stripped bare. The older man nodded and turned to continue walking.

"What else needs to be done?" Kenji asked. "I want to make sure we have everything together that you might need."

"For that we need Artemis," Kunzite explained. "He does a lot of the research, makes most of our devices, and can figure out just about anything with regards to computers. He's teaching Ami and Zo though."

"Alright, then lets go find out what we need to do next and then you and Minako both need to get some rest. It's been a long afternoon."

Kunzite nodded and followed him into the library, where all the others had been gathered to avoid notice from the reporters surrounding the building. The last thing they needed was for people to realize just how many people were living here and how they might be connected to the Senshi. As soon as they walked in, Shingo raced forward and hugged his father, apparently needing reassurance.

::Do we have a plan yet?:: he asked Minako silently through their Soul-Bond.

::No. At this point we can only watch and wait. Ami is freaking out about areas that have been drained of energy. She said something about other areas like that showing up over time, but doesn't really know more about it yet.:: Minako sounded worried about the bluenette and Kunzite could understand. Ami tended to get pulled into her work on a normal day. When it involved Usagi and Mamoru she would need to be forced to take breaks to eat and sleep. Zoicite wasn't any better. They would have to stay on them.

There was a lot that could be done even with no clues though. He moved to Minako's side and took one of the pads of paper. "I think we need to put people in teams," he said softly. "No one should be alone on patrol. And I think we should have more patrols than we have since we fought Metalia."

"I was thinking the same thing. Groups of at least three, if not more." Minako whispered, as Kunzite began writing names out.

"You and I will obviously be on a team," he said softly. "I'm thinking we should have Bane with us. And one of our tasks should be to heal the areas that were affected. He's getting control of his abilities. I think he can do it."

"He can," Minako agreed. "I was thinking Ronnie could go with Makoto and Nephrite. She trusts them to keep her safe and she and Mako have gotten pretty close."

"Haruki and Sets can take Heliodor," Kunzite added. It was the most obvious solution.

"Ami and Zo will be here more often than not," Minako continued. "It would be best to leave them out of the rotation so they can do what they're best at. And I was thinking maybe Agate could go with Shingo and Hotaru. He's a little older and can help them."

"That's a good idea," Kunzite said. Silently, to her alone, he added, ::and it will finally make him see we trust him, I hope.::

::That too.:: Minako agreed.

"De'Shaun with Rei and Jadeite?" Kunzite asked. When she nodded he wrote their names into another one of the squares. "That leaves Haruka and Michiru with Paden."

"Done. All we need to do is fill in the times then," Minako added.

Kunzite looked up when Luna leapt onto the table and looked down at their notes. "Would you be willing to take me with you while Artemis helps Zo and Ami," she asked.

"Hai," Minako and Kunzite said at the same time.

"We wouldn't dream of leaving you behind," Minako added.

"Here," Artemis said, appearing at the table. He did a backflip and a round disk appeared. "This will work like the disguise pen," he explained as Kunzite picked it up. "You have to get out there and be seen as Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen."

"On it," Minako said, standing. "We can finish this later. In the meantime, we can take the first watch," she added.

Kunzite nodded and stood up beside her. It would be nice to be by themselves for a few minutes, even if they weren't themselves at the time. He took Minako's hand and transformed, then held up the disguise disk. "Make me look like Tuxedo Kamen," he said softly.

There was a brief flash of light and Minako gasped. "Wow, it's so weird," she said softly. "You really do look just like him."

Kunzite nodded his head and watched as she transformed and then used the crescent compact to look like Sailor Moon. She was right. There was no way to tell it wasn't actually Sailor Moon. They were identical.

"Let's go," he said softly.

* * *

"Something is happening!" Artemis shouted. He was staring at one of the large screens in the command center.

Minako looked up as soon as she heard his voice. "What is it? More portals?"

"No," Artemis said. He leapt up and moved to the end of the bank of the computers. "This is no portal. Whatever it is, it's moving very fast, coming from space. It could be a meteorite, but I doubt it."

"Why?" Minako asked, moving to stand behind him.

"Because it changed trajectory. It would have landed in the middle of the ocean, but now it will land here in Tokyo."

"When?"

"Hold on," Artemis said. He started tapping keys with one of his paws. "Stupid government satellites," he complained under his breath. "This one is better. Let me see..." he was quiet for a few minutes, then looked up in shock. "It will be here in under a minute. The American's saw it coming yesterday but thought it would land in the ocean. They've just sent a warning to the Public Defense Force."

"Where?" Kunzite asked, coming into the room. He must have sensed her worry.

"Right here in Tokyo. Looks like it isn't far from where we are right now. That large grocery store near OSA-P. I think it might hit the building."

"Henshin," Minako said. She reached for her communicator and sent out a signal to the others. Whatever was coming they might need back-up. She had a bad feeling that it wasn't just a piece of space rock and whatever was in it was not going to care about anyone who was hurt. She couldn't understand why she felt so strongly about it, but she did and had long ago learned not to ignore her feelings.

Within a minute she had transformed into Sailor Venus and North Knight had wrapped his arms around her and teleported to OSA-P. Then they were running over the rooftops. One by one their friends joined them, henshined and ready for battle. They could hear flames crackling as they moved closer. There was a red glow. And then they reached the building across from the store and all of them stopped and stared in shock.

The parking lot was a crater.

"Come on," Sailor Mercury said, her blue visor down over her eyes. She had the Mercury computer in her hands and was already taking readings.

Minako leapt down to the ground and ran lightly over the blocks of asphalt that had been torn up and flung away from the crash site. All of them moved, keeping an eye on their surroundings, but when they got to the edge of the hole in the ground they could see nothing in the bottom of the crater. Something had obviously hit and caused the damage, but whatever it was, it was already gone. There was nothing they could do now except try to find it.

And find a way to bring Mamoru and Usagi home.

Minako had never felt so powerless and out of control. They had no idea what it was that had hit the ground, but to her mind it was probably some sort of ship with other creatures that wanted something from the planet or the people on it. And with Mamoru and Usagi gone she and Kunzite were responsible for turning away the danger, and for bringing them home. She only prayed they were up to the challenge. The alternative was unthinkable.


	3. Chapter 2: Worlds Away

**Author's Note:** I am so excited about this story. It will be told in four viewpoints. Usagi, Mamoru, Minako, and Kunzite. I want to highlight how the Doom Tree Arc would have happened without Mamoru and Usagi there while also focusing on how Usagi and Mamoru handle a vastly different world. I'm very excited about this story and I hope you are too.

* * *

**On Their Own**  
**On Her Own: Book Two**  
**Chapter Two**  
**Worlds Away**

* * *

**Usagi and Mamoru**

* * *

Mamoru saw Usagi inhale a lungful of water as they fell into it. Panicked now, he waited until they had sunk as far as they could go, then he began to kick as hard as he could toward the surface, towing a now limp Usagi with him. Overwhelmed with fear for her, he didn't take notice of anything else. Saving her had to come first.

It seemed to take an eternity to reach the surface. Then he frowned. He couldn't see the shore in the dark. He wasn't sure what to do. He'd never practiced trying to expel the water from someone's lungs while they were still on the ocean. He couldn't lose Usagi. Not now. Not ever.

Turning his Soul-Bonded in his arms, Mamoru wrapped his forearm over her chest and tugged, compressing her lungs. It was the only thing he could think to do. He waited a few seconds, then did it again, and again, and again. Finally, when all hope seemed lost and tears were pouring down his cheeks he heard a gurgle.

Within moments Usagi was vomiting into the water around them. Mamoru was overjoyed when he heard her suck in a deep breath. He turned her back around so she could lay her head on his shoulder and then he began swimming slowly backward. Treading water while trying to save Usagi had taken a lot out of him. He was more exhausted than he had been in a long time.

More than half an hour must have passed before Usagi finally lifted her head and spoke. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Nani?" he asked, confused. She'd had no control over them getting sucked into the portal. If anyone was to blame it was him. They should have stayed with the others.

"I scared you," she said softly. "I didn't mean to."

"I know Usako," he murmured into her hair. "I know. I need you with me," he added. He couldn't live without her. Couldn't breathe or focus or do anything without his soulmate. He realized his feelings of terror were pouring into her through the bond and tried to calm himself.

"Where are we?" she asked, lifting her head to look around. "I can see stars, but everything else is just dark."

Mamoru had noticed that too. He didn't see the moon shining in it's normal spot in the sky. He heard no birds or animals. Around them was a great big nothing. Unsure what to make of it, Mamoru shrugged his shoulders. "No idea where we are," he said finally. "But I will get us home."

"We'll do it together Mamo-chan. This is not your fault."

He didn't agree, but letting her help would give her something to focus on. He would rather she wasn't afraid. "First we need to get to shore," Mamoru said. "We can figure out our next steps then."

"Well, I suppose it would go a lot faster if you weren't trying to lug me all the way there," Usagi said. "I think I can swim now. At the very least I can try to float."

"Lets focus on swimming for now. It's too hard to see where you're going if you float. We could go around in circles all night."

"We might go in circles anyway," Usagi said. "I can't see the shore. Without something pointing us in the right direction, we don't have a lot of hope. I can feel how tired you are. We have to do something."

"Then let's swim," Mamoru suggested.

It was hard to let Usagi go, even knowing she would be right beside him in the water. There were too many things they didn't know. Was there anything dangerous in the water with them? How far were they from shore? Were they even going in the right direction?

They swam for about five minutes before Usagi reached out and grabbed his arm. "Look Mamo-chan," she hissed and pointed her arm to the left.

Bobbing up and down and from side to side was a light. It wasn't very bright and it was small, but it was something to steer for. "Lets go," he said softly, praying they were doing the right thing. He didn't want to think about what sort of enemies might be on the other end of the sort of portal that had grabbed them. He couldn't help but think they were more dangerous than they could imagine.

It took several more minutes, but eventually they reached the shore. Their splashing caught the attention of whoever was holding the light. It was a few moments before they heard whoever it was step into the water. A hand reached out for each of them, helping them to their feet. Mamoru wrapped his arm around Usagi's waist, not wanting to be parted by even a step.

"Sorry," a breathless voice whispered. "I didn't see you at first. Then I thought it might be some sort of monster in the water. There isn't a monster in there, right?" It was a girl, probably around Usagi's age if Mamoru had to guess. "My name is Hoshiko," the girl continued. "I found Aoto a while ago, but he seems to be hurt. I don't know what's wrong with him."

"Where is he?" Usagi asked, her voice calm but tired.

"This way. I am so happy to see actual people. I was beginning to think this place was lifeless. Where are we?"

"I don't know," Usagi said softly. "We were pulled in by some sort of portal thing."

"Damn," the girl muttered. "Well, there goes that. I was hoping you were from here and could get me back home. I figure if those portals go one way they must go the other too, don't you think?"

"We don't have any answers yet Hoshiko," Mamoru said, trying to keep his voice calm. "Maybe we can find whoever lives here. Where did you say the man was?"

"Aoto's in here," the girl murmured, sounding much more worried now. "I think he's hurt. Inside. Maybe he broke some ribs or something. I don't really know. He groans every time I wake him up and when he tries to move. I got him into a building though."

"Good idea. We have no clue what the weather will be like," Usagi told her. Mamoru wasn't so sure it had been a good idea to move him if he had broken ribs, but he said nothing. He didn't want the girl to second-guess everything she did to help.

* * *

Usagi took a deep breath before following Hoshiko into the remnants of what might have been a store. Mamoru was right behind her, one hand on the small of her back as though he couldn't bear to be parted. She felt the same way. His touch was comforting.

She was exhausted. Swimming always made her tired and she'd never had to swim so far or so long before. Even with Mamoru doing most of the work in the beginning, she could barely move her legs, which felt like they had lead weights tied to them. He had to be ten times as exhausted, but it didn't seem that way to her.

"He's over here," the girl said softly.

They followed her to the back of the store and found a man leaning on a pile of clothing. He was sitting almost upright, clutching a flashlight in his hand, and looking like he might throw up. Usagi reached his side quickly and put her hand on his arm. She wasn't sure what she could do without giving away their secrets. Looking to Mamoru, whose face was grim as he pressed against the man's stomach and ribs, she worried they might have to take action.

::I have to heal him Usako,:: Mamoru told her mentally, just as she had the thought. ::His third rib is broken on this side, and I think he must have punctured his lung when the girl moved him.::

::Not good,:: Usagi answered. ::We're going to have to trust them to keep our secret Mamo-chan. We can't let him die.::

::I know.:: He didn't say anything else. Instead he pressed both hands gently to the man's chest. In seconds she could see the golden sparks of healing under his fingertips.

"What?" Aoto asked. "What's happening?" His breathing seemed better almost instantly and before long he was sitting upright. Mamoru sat back on his heels and Usagi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Please," Usagi whispered. "Don't tell anyone."

"You're them," Aoto whispered. "I won't tell. Fair warning, I'm a reporter, but I promise no one will hear it from me."

"Hear what?" Hoshiko asked. "All I saw was pretty lights."

Aoto laughed. "Where have you been girl?" he asked. "This is them. Moon and Kamen."

"Really?" Hoshiko asked, her voice raising in both volume and pitch. "You're really them? That means we might get home!" She bounced on her knees for a few moments, staring at them wide-eyed.

Usagi prayed they didn't let her down.

"So, I'm Usagi and this is Mamoru," she said after a moment of internal debate. It wasn't like they could hide now. They would just have to trust that the others wouldn't tell anyone. Many people seemed to know their secret and had kept it. That gave her hope.

"Aoto," the man said.

"I already told you I'm Hoshiko. I'm fifteen," she added. "And I'm terrified." The last part was said mostly under her breath and Usagi had the distinct impression she didn't like admitting she was afraid.

"This is new for all of us," Mamoru said in a gentle tone. She smiled over at him, thankful he was with her. He nodded and turned to the girl. "I don't know the answers yet," he continued, "but Usagi and I will figure it out and get us all home."

"Arigato," the girl said. For a moment it looked like she might break down and cry, but she took a deep breath in through her nose, closed her eyes tight for a long moment, and then opened them, looking much more calm. "I just miss my brother and sister. This place is scary."

Mamoru stood and reached a hand out for Usagi. "On that note," he said, looking at the girl, "we need to do a quick patrol," he said.

Usagi nodded and stood, putting her hand in his. "We'll try to see what is going on and maybe scavenge some food."

"I don't think we should henshin just yet though. We don't know who is here and I would rather be underestimated if we find ourselves facing an enemy." Mamoru said, then turned to the others. "We won't go far. Stay here and keep out of sight. We still have no idea what caused the portal. It might be a natural phenomenon, or it could be some new enemy."

"Hai," Aoto said, putting a hand on Hoshiko's shoulder. "We'll stay quiet."

They made their way outside and both of them looked around. Usagi wasn't sure what they were searching for, but something told her she would know when she found it. "It was daytime on Earth when we were pulled here," Usagi murmured. "I guess we need to know where we are. Are we still on Earth? In our own Solar System? And is there an enemy to face?"

Mamoru stared up at the sky. "I wish Nephrite was here. He could tell us for sure. I think..." he pointed to a constellation both of them knew. "I'm pretty sure we're still on Earth. Still in Tokyo even."

"Then where is everyone?" Usagi asked. She stared at a blue light that was rising over the water. "Is that... the sun?" she asked.

What would have been a bright reddish-yellow orb at dawn in their world was a tiny blue sphere that put out almost no light and no warmth. So why was everything warm? And how did they still have air to breathe? Usagi didn't remember everything about natural sciences or the solar system, but she was pretty sure without the sun there could be no life on the planet, and there was no way there would be oxygen and heat. It made absolutely no sense.

Mamoru was silent for a very long time. Then he turned to Usagi, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. "I don't know," he answered finally. "We have to find out what pulled us here if we're going to get back. I have a feeling it's going to be very dangerous."

"Hai," Usagi agreed. "Me too."

* * *

The silence was eerie. Mamoru felt like he was being watched, but there were no signs of life anywhere around them. The sun, if that's what it was, had risen halfway over the horizon, shedding a tiny amount of light. The world looked washed out and grey. In the morning light Mamoru could see the destroyed husk of the moon, which looked like it had been blown into pieces.

They'd done a quick search of the buildings near the store they'd taken shelter in. There was no food. Nothing was left on any grocery store shelves, in the vending machines, or even in the storage rooms of restaurants. It was almost as though someone else had come scavenging long ago. Now however, there seemed to be nothing and no one alive on the planet. There were no foot prints, no sounds of anything man-made. No hum of electricity. There was nothing.

Their patrol finished, he and Usagi returned to the store and found the others, telling them what they'd found.

"We're going to have to search homes," Aoto suggested when they had explained everything to him and Hoshiko.

Usagi slumped to the ground. "For now however, I do have something. It's not much, and we all have to share."

"I'd eat my shoe if you let me," Hoshiko answered.

Mamoru watched them all. Again Usagi had made two complete strangers comfortable in her presence. He had no idea how she did it. He watched her reach into her subspace pocket. She pulled out two boxes of pocky, one chocolate and one strawberry. Then she reached in again and pulled out a bottle of tea. Next she pulled out a bento box, which he realized must have been from the picnic. She'd stored it away to snack on later. Smiling, he kissed the top of her head.

"There isn't a lot," Usagi admitted, "but it will feed us for right now. I have four rice balls with tuna in here. One for each of us." She handed out the food. "Go on, eat. Worst case scenario Mamo-chan can grow some food."

"What?" Aoto asked, looking surprised. "No one ever mentioned that."

Mamoru couldn't help laughing. "It surprised me too," he said honestly. "Usagi had mentioned that I used roses and vines and was complaining about the cost of strawberries. So I made some." He shook his head. He would do just about anything to see Usagi smile.

"So we won't starve," Aoto said. "And certain foods are high in water content. Plus there's that lake out there, though I really don't know if it's safe to drink."

"I'll try it," Mamoru offered. "My healing abilities will help if there is something wrong with it." Usagi looked like she was going to argue but Mamoru shook his head and looked at her pointedly. "Do you see the broken moon in the sky Usako?" he asked. "I can still gather energy from the earth, even if it feels wrong. You can't gather energy from what is left of the moon. It has to be me. Besides, I heal faster anyway."

Usagi stuck her tongue out at him, making Aoto and Hoshiko laugh. "I can still heal. You're right though," she added after a long moment. "You don't seem nearly as tired after our swim as I feel." Then she bit her lip in the dim light and asked, "you said the energy from the earth feels wrong. How?"

Mamoru frowned. He wasn't sure if he could explain it. "It's as though the earth is old. Not old the way we think of in millions of years. More like an old man who is just really very tired and wants to lay down and go to sleep, but he has to finish what he's doing first. Does that make any sense?"

"Hai," Usagi said. "It's like all the energy has been drained away. Maybe that's why the trees and everything out there look brown and dead."

"So what is the plan," Aoto asked, shuddering as he changed the subject.

"We need to find residential neighborhoods," Mamoru told them. "We might find food, or possibly people. Or..." his voice trailed off as an idea came to him.

"What is it?" Usagi asked. Then she gasped as she followed his emotions. "It might work," she murmured.

"It could be very different though," Mamoru argued.

"The only thing we can do is try," Usagi answered. "Let's do it."

"Do what?" Hoshiko asked.

"We're going to try to get to Elysion, which is in a pocket universe." Usagi looked as excited as he felt. Maybe they would be able to escape after all.

"Both of you, hold on to us," Mamoru told them. "I can't promise this will work, but it's worth a shot."

He and Usagi stood and the others grabbed them by the shoulders while they held hands. He Wished to be in Elysion. Nothing happened. He felt her Wish going out as well. Again, there was nothing to show anything or anyone had heard them. They both tried together. For a brief moment he could almost feel a flicker, but the sensation of death felt like it was crawling over him and he let it go.

Usagi let out a soft sigh. "I was really hoping that would work," she said softly.

"Me too," Mamoru said. "We'll figure something out."

* * *

"I figure we probably have another five or six hours of light, if this place is really earth," Aoto said. "If we're going somewhere, we should get started."

Usagi nodded. She was feeling depressed and anxious. It was hard not to broadcast those things to the others. She pasted on a smile.

Within a few minutes the four of them had gathered what they thought was useful from the store, including several more flashlights and a ton of batteries. They also grabbed jackets, just in case the temperature dipped. In less than ten minutes they were outside in the strange blue-grey light, walking through the desolate streets.

"What places in Tokyo do we know best?" she asked. "I know the Crown game center, the schools in the Juuban district of the Minato ward. And my house."

"My old apartment, and your old house too," Mamoru murmured.

"Well I know the recording studio, my house, and my close friends houses." Aoto coughed as they walked through the dusty streets.

"The orphanage," Hoshiko said softly. "My school and my siblings schools. My old house." Her voice was filled with so much heartache. Usagi wrapped an arm around her waist and gave her a hug. She didn't say anything, sensing that the girl wasn't really comfortable talking about it. She reminded Usagi of a much smaller Makoto. Her hair was different, a shade of purple, she thought, and her eyes seemed to be the same shade. She was far too skinny, like Usagi herself had been, and only a few inches taller than her.

"Well, lets start with what we know and work our way out. Do we even know what district we're in?"

Aoto pointed to a fire escape on the side of a building that seemed mostly intact. "We should climb up there and take a look around. We could see some of the landmarks and find out where we are."

"That's a very good idea," Mamoru said, staring at the fire escape. "But for now I think only one of us should go up. It might not be solid."

"Mamo-chan," Usagi murmured. "It might be safer if you henshin."

He shook his head. "I'd rather not unless there is no other choice. What if there is an enemy here and I give away our location?"

"Good point," Aoto said. "Maybe only do that as a last resort."

Usagi nodded. Then she shuddered and turned to look around them. "It feels like we're being watched," she said softly. She didn't know if they actually were, but she'd felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise several times in the past few hours. "I think it's best to hide who we are, just in case."

"Alright. Stay together," Mamoru ordered.

He pulled Usagi into his arms and kissed her hard before he scampered up the metal stairs. Usagi could hear the groaning of the metal and prayed it would stay together long enough for him to look around. She kept an eye on her surroundings, watching every direction, occasionally looking up at Mamoru to make sure he was alright.

It took less than two minutes for him to return. "Alright," he said softly. "If we stay on this street we're headed for Tokyo Tower. If we were to turn back and go left we would find the skytree. We're near the edge of the Minato ward. It will take at least an hour to get to familiar territory, but I thought I could see the Jinja."

"That would be an idea place to stop for the night," Usagi murmured. It was a place they both knew well and it was on a large hill so they would have a clear view, especially if one of them climbed a tree. "What do you guys think," she asked.

"If you think it's safe, that's a good place to go. Anywhere I know is on the other side of the Minato ward," Aoto said.

"Me too," Hoshiko murmured.

"Alright, then we have a plan," Mamoru said. He grabbed Usagi's hand and squeezed. "We'd best get walking if we want to get there tonight."

::What aren't you saying?:: Usagi asked as they walked down the dusty road.

::The mountain is gone. There is a river of lava going into one of the rivers. Looks like it's been that way for a long time. There are miles of black rock out over the ocean now.::

::Maybe the people all moved away because of it,:: Usagi suggested. ::They might have abandoned the city.::

::Usako,:: Mamoru said, his mental voice full of gentle sympathy, ::there is no way the earth could sustain more than a few people. The sin isn't bright enough to grow crops. I think maybe someone scavenged the old life support systems from other planets and set them up over Tokyo, and maybe a few other places. It's the only explanation for why we aren't dead yet.::

::Then we need to figure out who put them there, and how those portals form. We have to get home. We have to get them home.::

::We will,:: Mamoru promised, though they both knew there was no guarantee.

A noise startled Usagi and she turned to look behind her. Standing in the middle of the street, nearly forty paces away, was a woman with bright yellow hair and orange eyes. She wore a halter-top shirt and tight leggings. In her hand was a long staff, and just as Usagi turned the woman launched an attack at them.

Usagi moved instinctively, sending out a mental warning to Mamoru as she did. She grabbed Hoshiko around the waist and pulled her to the ground. Mamoru had done the same for Aoto. But the woman was already preparing another attack. Usagi stood, not willing to cower before the woman, and reached for her brooch.

"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!" she screamed. The transformation took her, wings sprouting from her back to spread wide in front of the innocents she was trying to protect. The Moon Wand appeared in her hand, though she'd never reached for it, and an attack spilled from her mouth before she could think. "Dying Moon Transformation!" she yelled.

The woman's eyes widened. When the attack hit she was knocked back a step. Then, before anything else could be said or done, she disappeared.


	4. Chapter 3: New Students

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the wait on an update. I had a nasty bout of the stomach flu and have also been dealing with writer's block. Oh, and just this week I lost my voice entirely. (My husband was happy as for once I wasn't singing loud and off key) I bet all of you could use something to read right about now, so I hope this helps. Happy reading!  
Sailor Silver Ladybug  
~ Tori

* * *

**On Their Own**  
**On Her Own: Book Two**  
**Chapter Three  
New Students**

* * *

_***Minako***_

Minako stared at the map spread out on the table, a little confused. "Why are we even looking at this?" she asked. "Nothing on this map can tell us where they went."

"We don't even know who or what landed in that crater," Ami said softly. "I think at this point we are scrambling for any hint we can find. It may not help at all. But what if it did?"

"I don't know," Minako said, sighing now. "I wasn't trying to be mean."

"We all know that," Rei said, patting her gently on the shoulder. "You're worried. We all are. It's made us all a bit crabby."

"You can say that again," Makoto added. "I must have snapped at Nephrite three times over the stupidest things."

"It's okay to be worried girls," Luna said, looking from one to the other, a hint of sympathy mixed with her censure. "It is not okay to panic or get annoyed with one another. You are the Inner Senshi, guardians of the Princess yes, but more importantly the last line of defense for this planet."

"Hai," Minako agreed, feeling stronger after the reminder. "For now it has to be business as usual. Has anyone talked to the friends who know? We need to make sure they act as freaked as possible in front of others."

"That was handled last night," Luna said. "Ikuko called."

"Good," Rei said, standing upright and stretching her back. "Then we can get to school. Don't forget that Jed and I have first patrol after so we will be late for the meeting," she added to Luna, who nodded.

"The news is on," Ami said. She reached for the remote and turned up the volume.

"..latest on the events as they unfold. The Prime Minister and the Emperor have been in conference all morning. It is said the Princess dreamed of the missing teens, though at this point that is only conjecture." Minako recognized one of the reporters who had spoken the day before. She was middle aged and very pretty.

"Meanwhile," another female reporter continued, "the search for our missing colleague and the three teenagers continues. We have received reports of the Senshi up and searching through the night. Their Sailor Mercury has said they will not rest until they find them and bring them home."

"This is a recent picture of our colleague Aoto with his partner. They have been together for nearly fifteen years. His partner, James, is extremely worried. The brother of one teenager who went missing outside their group home has been seen putting up flyers in search of his missing older sister. The other two who disappeared are engaged to be married and went missing from a local park in the Azabu-Juuban shopping district. This raises questions about the true nature of the portals. Why did two appear near power plants and the third in the middle of a large park. Did it end up off course, or is there some form of power source in the park?"

"That's Yume and Miyu," Luna said. "Aoto is their close friend. He's a reporter, but more than that, he's known to have stopped a story from being released and is quite protective of his sources. Usagi's father says we can trust him to keep his word. If he promises not to reveal the secret it won't be revealed. I can promise you that."

Minako nodded, but didn't say anything. There was no new information and it was nearly time for them to leave. She turned to the other girls, who all nodded that they were ready. "Let's go get Naru," she told them. The red-head would need their support. It was what Usagi would do.

* * *

_***Kunzite***_

Kunzite could tell Naru was a wreck. As soon as she opened the door Minako wrapped her in a hug, and the girl started sobbing. He moved closer and rested a hand on her shoulder, not sure if he was doing it right. Mamoru seemed to know just what to do when people were afraid or upset, but he didn't have the first clue. He wanted to fill his friend's shoes while he was gone, but it was starting to look like he needed to find his own style.

"We will get them back," he promised Umino, whose eyes were red-rimmed when he followed Naru out of her apartment above the jewelry store.

"I know," Umino said, though he didn't sound remotely convinced. "Where are Motoki and the others?" he asked.

"Nephrite and Makoto went to get them," Minako explained. "But I figured Naru would want me. I guess I'm the most like Usagi."

Naru sniffled, but wiped her cheeks and looked Minako in the eyes. "Mina-chan, you're very different from Usagi. But you know what? That's a good thing. You're doing things your way, and you should. You aren't Usagi, so don't try to be. Just be my friend Mina. It will all work out."

Kunzite found himself nodding along with the little red-head. She had a good point. He had just been thinking that about himself. He wasn't Mamoru. They were very different, though he was the most similar in personality. He had to do things his own way, as did Minako.

"Good point," he said aloud. "Now, we're meeting the others in front of the crown and walking to the school together."

"Okay," Naru agreed. Umino only nodded quietly and reached to take Naru's hand.

Soon they were all walking down the street. Kunzite noticed several reporters arriving just as they were leaving the jewelry store. He cleared his throat so the others would look. "Remember, you are panicked, but sure the Senshi will find them."

Naru nodded. A moment later a rather aggressive young reporter was pushing a microphone into their faces. "Do you have any comments about your missing friends? What does it feel like to know they might never return? Do you think they're dead? Is that why they aren't back yet?"

Rage swept through him. Before he could act however, Umino hauled his arm back and punched the young man. "How dare you!" he screamed, pushing his slipping glasses back up his nose as he wrapped an arm around Naru, who was sobbing now. "Don't you care that people are missing? Don't you care that you're upsetting those people's friends? I've known Usagi since she was six years old. Six! More than half her life. She is one of my best friends and you just want to make a name for yourself on her disappearance. Get away from us and don't come back or I'll call my father!"

Naru gasped.

Kunzite, who had no idea who Umino's father was, looked at the boy askance. He seemed rather ordinary. A bit of a nerd, and sometimes clueless or gossipy, he had a good heart, but wasn't popular or usually possessed of much spirit. Taking a second look, Kunzite saw fierce determination in his eyes and an iron will he had never glimpsed before. Umino wasn't just sad and scared, he was furious. Who was this new young man?

"Who is your father?" Minako asked as they made their way through a nearby alley.

Naru snorted. "He works for the Prime Minister. He is a military and police liaison. Basically, if military or police are needed, they call on Umino's dad to handle it."

"Why aren't you in the private school then?" Kunzite asked. "With Mamoru? You're more than smart enough."

Umino shrugged his shoulders. "My father doesn't believe in handouts. My siblings and I were told we could earn scholarships to private school, or choose to stay in public school. I met Naru and Usagi in the first grade. My first friends. No way was I ever leaving them behind. So I went to public school. My siblings all made the same choice except my oldest sister. She's in college now and has an internship in the palace as one of the aides for the Emperor."

"I didn't know any of that," Minako admitted.

"Only Naru and Usagi really know much about my life," Umino explained. "After my mother died, my dad got a bit more strict with us, but I know he loves us, even if he grounds us a lot."

"He is strict, but you've been much better behaved lately," Naru added.

Umino snorted. "Or, I've had you girls to pull me out of trouble."

"True," Naru answered, grinning now.

Kunzite was thankful the worry and tension seemed to be relieved for the moment. They reached the Crown game center and hurried into the alley behind it. The front of the building was being watched by reporters. They must have learned Motoki was Mamoru's best friend. Kunzite knocked on the back door and Nephrite opened it for him.

"Hey, we just got here," Makoto said, looking out of the breakroom and into the main room of the arcade. She was holding Unazuki slightly behind her. "There are four or five reporters out there. I think it's time you called in your parents. You won't get any work done this way."

"No. They need to face them," Kunzite told her. "Kenji said the more we hide the worse they'll get."

"I can do this," Motoki said, rising from the couch, which was tucked behind the door. "Come on Una. Lets do this together so they'll leave us alone."

* * *

_***Minako***_

As assembly progressed, Minako scanned the edges of the large open area the school used. There were more reporters out there, cameras flashing. She knew her picture had been taken dozens of times that morning. It gave her the heebie-jeebies. She'd thought once she took off the Sailor-V mask she wouldn't be in the spotlight anymore. She rather liked being in Sailor Moon's shadow. It gave her the chance for a normal life. At least, until she became a famous pop star. Hiding her grin at the thought, she tried again to focus on the principal.

"... new students. Seijoru and Natsume Ginga. Please be very welcoming. They are new to Japan and unused to our ways. Are there any volunteers who can take them to their first class?"

One of the girls up front stood after a long pause. Minako realized everyone had been waiting for Usagi. It had taken them all a minute to remember she was gone. She bit back her tears and kept her eyes on the new students. Both had thick reddish-brown hair and blue eyes with rather pale skin and exaggerated epicanthic folds around their eyes.

"Alright students," a teacher said, "time to get to class."

As the woman spoke several police cars arrived at the edge of campus. The officers got out and walked to the reporters. After several minutes of arguing, the reporters left. By then Minako was at the doors to the school, still next to Naru who was gripping her hand tightly.

"She'll be alright," Haruna-sensei told them both, giving them a quick hug. "I promise." They all knew she could promise no such thing, but having her speak the words made them feel better, so Minako didn't argue.

Minako was surprised to find Natsume and Seijoru waiting at the door of the classroom, hands folded in front of them, staring at one another. She wondered what they were thinking. It wasn't a normal day by any stretch of the imagination.

"Come on in class," Haruna-sensei said, after unlocking the door.

They all filed in and found their seats. Next to Naru, where Usagi normally sat, Minako took the seat. Her own spot would be filled by Rei. Naru needed more protection than most people. Usagi had been clear about that from the moment she'd come clean about being Sailor Venus. In Usagi's absence, Minako and the others would protect her.

Throughout the morning, Minako stayed close to Naru and paid attention to the lecture, which was unlike her, but she was determined to do her best. Unfortunately, she was distracted. The new boy, Seijoru, was sitting on her left, in the empty seat normally taken by Takeo, who was out sick. From the moment he had taken the seat, he hadn't stopped staring at her. It was making her uncomfortable. She didn't like it and wanted him to stop.

It wasn't until the bell rang for lunch and Minako and the others were gathering together that the boy approached her. He was carrying a flute in one hand and a bento box in the other. "Would you care to join me for lunch?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," Minako said, keeping her voice low. "We have plans." And they did. They were going to meet under their tree and discuss possible ways to find Usagi and the others.

Seijoru glared at her as soon as she'd spoken, and she took a step back, unsure what to make of it. He stepped closer, menacingly, and she moved even further away, fear racing up her spine. It was an unusual response for her. She had faced down dozens of Youma without blinking. A teenage boy shouldn't upset her so much. Who was he and why did she get the feeling he wasn't going to take no for an answer?

* * *

_***Kunzite***_

Kunzite paced in front of the school, waiting for the girls to come out. They were taking longer than normal. He assumed they were gathering Usagi's work, but he didn't know. He wanted to send a mental message to his Soul-Bonded, but he wasn't sure if she was in the middle of a conversation. He didn't want her acting suspiciously when so many people were watching their every move.

"Here they come," Nephrite said, pointing into the crowd, where Makoto could be seen head and shoulders above the other students. Nephrite sounded as relieved as he felt. "They took a bit longer than normal today, right?"

"Hey!" Minako rushed into his arms and he gathered her close. She was shaking.

"What's wrong?"

"The new boy scared her," Naru said, peeping over at them. "He stared at her like he was going to hurt her. I didn't like it. Rei got a bad feeling from him too. I think maybe you should call Luna and Artemis and have them do some research."

"Do you think these students could be related to whatever landed in Tokyo last night?" Umino asked.

Kunzite followed his line of sight and saw the siblings standing nearby, obviously in a heated argument if their postrue was anything to go by. The girl, Natsume, he thought, turned towards them. When she caught sight of Kunzite her eyes widened and she took a step forward. Shivering, he clung even tighter to Minako.

"Something is seriously wrong with those two," Umino muttered.

"I think you might be right," Kunzite said. He shivered, then deliberately turned away. Umino and Naru had a point. Luna and Artemis could figure out who they were.

* * *

_***Artemis***_

Normally Artemis would be happy to be behind the computer, doing research, creating new sensors or communicators and other helpful devises, and staying out of the public eye. At the moment however, he would have given anything to have enough energy to take his human form and stay that way until the Prince and Princess returned. Every time he thought about Minako, his heart started to race and he felt fear try to swamp him.

Something was wrong.

"What did you find?" Luna asked, turning away from the monitor where she was watching for any signs of new portals.

"They don't exist."

"What?" She turned away and leapt from her terminal and onto his. "Who are they then?"

"I don't know, but I think Naru is onto something. We need to get her and Umino in here for some testing." Artemis frowned at the monitor. "Before yesterday there was no record of the students. There are no paper documents of their birth, doctor's visits, school records, or anything else. But see here?" He lifted his paw and pointed to a series of updated documents. "They've created a life story for themselves, but all of it was done electronically. They don't exist outside the computer."

"Could they be aliens?" Luna asked.

"Maybe. I can't be sure. If they are, we need to figure out what it is they want. Are they a threat?"

"They're just children," Luna said. "I could wish they were benevolent as our charges are, but I have a feeling looks are extremely deceiving here."

"I think you're right," Artemis told her. "Look! There's an energy spike. There is some sort of monster draining energy near the school!"


	5. Chapter 4: Shelter

**Author's Note:** I know this is the chapter you have actually been waiting for. He he he. I do think it is important to show what is happening in original Tokyo however, so the chapters will be going back and forth like this throughout the story. Tell me what you think so far! We all really do need the reviews.

* * *

**On Their Own**  
**On Her Own: Book Two**  
**Chapter Four**  
**Shelter**

* * *

In the two hours that had passed since the aborted attack on the group, Mamoru had been hyper-vigilant. He tried to watch every direction at once, but it was impossible. He could feel Usagi doing the same, which made him feel a little more secure. He remembered she had been first to notice they were being watched. He had always been impressed with her ability to sense things and now he was grateful.

"I think we're close," Usagi murmured, pointing to a familiar looking hill. "Look up there."

"You know this place?" Aoto asked.

"Hai," Usagi said, pointing to the wall around the jinja. "I've climbed those walls a hundred times with my friends." She furrowed her brow. "Well, not those walls, exactly. I mean the ones on our earth."

"Unless this is our earth," Hoshiko said glumly.

"I don't think it is," Mamoru said. "I can see differences. It's hard to tell in this light, but the stone in the walls looks different. And have you noticed the windows on the cars? I think this must be some sort of parallel universe."

"We could really use Luna and Artemis right now," Usagi murmured. "I really miss having her tell me what to do," she giggled.

"I am going to tell her you said that," Mamoru teased. Usagi stuck her tongue out at him and laughed.

They came abreast of the torii gate and Hoshiko gasped as she looked up at the jinja. "That is a lot of stairs."

Usagi nodded. "You should have seen me the first time I climbed them," she said. "By the time I got to the top I could hardly breathe. Luna had me training extra hard for a week after that."

"Who is Luna?" Aoto asked.

"My cat," Usagi explained. "Although, to be honest, she technically isn't a cat per se. From what she told me, her species is closely related to earth felines, but still very different. They can take human form. On their own planet it isn't difficult, but from what I gather our sun has more gravity. I don't know. When she gets all sciencey I lose interest."

"Sciency?" Hoshiko giggled. "I think you're my new best friend."

"Nothing for it but to climb up," Mamoru said, putting an arm around Usagi's waist. He could feel her weariness. She was much more tired than she was letting on, especially after transforming into Sailor Moon. Together they climbed the stairs, their footsteps crunching in loose dirt and gravel that covered the surface.

When everyone had reached the top, Usagi stood staring at the remnants of what had been a beautiful jinja on their earth. Here it was in extreme disrepair. Until they started walking again and found the room where the girls always had their meetings. Usagi gasped. The building was in perfect shape. It looked better than anything else they had seen.

But as they approached, Mamoru noticed something was different. He reached out and ran his fingers on the wall. Colored light moved around his hand. The building was some sort of projection, like a hologram. Usagi reached for the door and it swung open easily. The inside of it was silvery metal however and Mamoru knew it was nothing like what they had on their own earth.

"Welcome," came a familiar sounding voice.

Mamoru and Usagi both gasped as they took in the visage of Grandfather Hino. He was standing about four feet in front of the door. "Hologram," Usagi breathed, moving closer. "Like the walls outside."

"Hello young ones," Grandfather continued. "I have long dreamed of this day. You must have many questions."

"You can say that again," Aoto muttered.

"In my visions, you arrive long after the rest of us are gone. Any people left serve the one who calls herself Queen Metalia. None knows where she came from, or how she came to earth. We only know that within months of her appearance, everything began to change. People began having nightmares and would disappear. When they returned they were not the same. They would turn on their friends and family, dragging them away. If they returned, which wasn't always the case, they would be angry and hostile.

"I dreamed of heroes who should have saved us, but we were too late. Among the first to go missing were those who would have become those heroes, including my six-year-old granddaughter, Rei. She was not the only child taken. Dozens were. When they reappeared more than seven years later, they all served Metalia. Eventually they too were destroyed by her.

"Whatever Metalia was doing, the earth began to die. The sun was no longer yellow in the sky. It had changed. The light didn't help plants grow and people began to get sick. Then the moon shattered, breaking apart like an egg. The decay of the earth grew worse. A pair of cats appeared and with their help astronauts were able to gather a device from the moon and from several other planets that enabled people to survive for years. But even with these devices crops would no longer grow and people were starving.

"Metalia's forces began going through each of the twelve shelters on the planet and gathering the survivors. One group at a time disappeared until those of us in Japan were all that was left. My dreams of you began then. I have prepared this place to hide you from Metalia's forces. You will be safe here. Clean water and food is stored in the shelter below and there should be enough electricity to last you for weeks, though I hope you are not trapped here that long. I have gathered information on the vortex that brought you to this place and you will find it there as well. Hopefully you can use that information to return home, and to stop Metalia from using those vortex machines ever again.

"May the Kami protect and shelter you."

The hologram disappeared. Mamoru huffed out a breath and turned Usagi in his arms to hug her tightly. He could feel her raw pain and heartbreak. As she sobbed in his arms, he watched Aoto close the door and Hoshiko look around the room, which didn't appear much different than it had in their own world.

"Here," Aoto said after exploring the floor. He had picked up a tatami mat and underneath was a trap door.

Mamoru moved closer, tugging Usagi along with him. Aoto opened the door. Instantly small yellow lights appeared inside, along a ladder that led down to another level. Mamoru was impressed. It had probably taken a lot of work to build a shelter under the jinja.

* * *

"This place is incredible," Usagi breathed, looking around the large room under the jinja.

It was set up like any bunker she had ever seen online. It was a long, rectangular room. The left wall had a panel on it. Mamoru walked over and flipped on several switches. Immediately the entire room was illuminated. The rest of the wall was filled with items on hooks or on low shelves. Usagi could see bundles of rope, a red wagon with a cover, even cold weather gear.

At one end there were two sets of bunkbeds set into the wall. Under the bottom bunk on each were drawers. A curtain could be pulled down over the bunks to separate them from the rest of the room, but at the moment the curtains were pulled to the side and tied with a cord.

In the center of the room was a long metal table with four chairs. On either of the long ends small shelves were set against the table, one of them full of books and papers bundled inside folders. Usagi saw a black mini-computer that reminded her of Ami's. The second shelf had plates and silverware as well as a variety of canned and boxed food items that didn't need much preparation.

Along the right wall, closest to the ladder, a kitchenette was placed. There was a tiny sink, some shelves, which were also full of food and bottles of water, and a mini-refrigerator and stove. There was a small area for food prep and a little cupboard over the whole thing was filled with empty bottles and tablets for cleaning water.

The far end of the room had a large white screen that was pulled down to cover it. When Usagi moved closer she could see there were several maps underneath. She used the drawstring to pull the screen down, then let it roll up. The first map was of the planet in globe form. Twelve bright red circles covered some of the major cities. There had been a shelter over London, another over a city in India Usagi couldn't pronounce, one in China and another over Tokyo. There were others, but Usagi shook her head and backed away. Eleven of the red circles had black 'x's through them. She knew the version of Grandfather on this planet must have crossed them out.

"This place is sad," Mamoru said, replying to her earlier statement.

"Hai," Usagi agreed, moving toward the table. She pulled out one of the chairs and sat heavily. She had hoped, deep down, that she would find others alive and well. She had been praying for some sort of help. There was none. Not anymore.

"How long do you think they've been gone?" Hoshiko asked.

"Months at least," Aoto said. "Probably more than a year based on the level of damage out there."

"What do you mean?" Mamoru asked, settling next to Usagi at the table.

"I mean I bet we could never start any of those cars out there. I doubt there are any sources of electricity left, except what we have here. And how do we have electricity here anyways? I didn't see a generator out there."

Usagi sighed. It was all just so depressing. She wanted to go home. Better yet, she wanted to talk to Luna about how to fix this place. Unfortunately, even she could tell there was no hope of saving it. The world was dying, along with the sun and the moon. She wondered what was left on the other planets in the solar system. If only the people here had been able to have the Senshi, they might have survived.

"Well," said Aoto, obviously trying to sound upbeat, "the first thing we should do is make ourselves something to eat."

Usagi nodded, but she was too tired to get up. Instead, she crossed her arms over the table and laid her head on them. "In a minute," she whispered. "I just need to rest."

"What's wrong?" Hoshiko asked.

Mamoru was concerned. Usagi could feel it through their bond. She just didn't have the energy to do anything about it. She heard them murmuring something and tried to lift her head, but she was too tired. Then Mamoru laid a hand on her back and she could feel him sending her energy.

"What is going on?" Aoto asked.

"I'm not sure," Mamoru murmured. "I think it has something to do with the Moon. Usagi has always had boundless energy. This place is draining compared to our earth. Not to mention we have a swim that must have lasted hours this morning."

"But you have energy," Hoshiko said, obviously confused.

"Mine comes from the earth itself. I'm more tired that normal too, but I can still draw from it.

Usagi let the voices drift over her. It was nice to just rest for a few minutes. She wanted to get up and eat something, but even with the energy Mamoru gave her, she wasn't nearly at her full strength.

"I found these," Aoto said, pressing something against her arm.

Usagi opened her eyes and saw that there were energy bars sitting next to her. "Thanks." She struggled to open the box, and handed out two bars to each of them. "This should last us until we've eaten dinner," she said.

"You look a bit better," Hoshiko murmured.

Usagi nodded. "I feel better too," she lied. Although she had slightly more energy, she was still exhausted. Part of her wanted to crawl into a bunk and go to sleep without even eating. She knew Mamoru would never allow it however, so she peeled open one of the energy bars and took a bite. It was powdery and not very appealing, but as she ate she could tell it was helping.

"What do we do now?" Hoshiko asked, sounding frightened.

"We research the vortex," Mamoru answered. "Although, it might be better to wait for morning. It's been a long day and we all need sleep."

"I wish I was home. I miss my brother and sister."

Usagi put a hand on Hoshiko's arm, which was resting on the table. "I know," she said softly. "I miss my little brother too. And all my friends and my parents."

"I don't know what will happen to them without me," Hoshiko continued. "They were talking about moving me into the group home for older teens. I don't want to be away from them." She let out a little sigh.

"Maybe we can find someone to help you," Usagi whispered, feeling bad that there was nothing she could do to make the other girl feel better. "What are your brother and sister's names?"

"My brother is Masaki and my sister is Chieko." Hoshiko reached into her pocket and pulled out a cell phone. After turning it on, she held it out to Usagi. The home screen had a picture of Hoshiko with a little girl who was her carbon copy and a boy who looked nearly identical.

"You look happy together," Usagi murmured.

"We are."

Soon Mamoru had put a bowl of stew in front of Usagi. She could see the large can they had poured it from. Aoto had done the cooking and Mamoru the serving. Usagi tore through her meal and began cleaning up. Once the dishes were washed and put away, she went towards the table again.

Mamoru stopped her before she could get there and led her to one of the bunks. "You need to sleep," he said, keeping his voice low. "You can't get all your energy from the moon here."

"Stay with me," Usagi said, reaching out to hold his hand.

Nodding, Mamoru crawled up on the bunk and curled around her. Usagi tucked herself into him and closed her eyes, feeling safe and warm for the moment. Soon she was drifting off to sleep, her mind on home and family. She missed the girls and her parents, but after talking to Hoshiko she couldn't stop thinking about Shingo and wondering what he was feeling.

* * *

Mamoru was the first person awake. He could hear Usagi's soft snuffling breaths. Hoshiko was nearly silent. Aoto snored like a chainsaw. Mamoru just chuckled and snuck out of the bed to look for the bathroom. He found a small doorway near the ladder that had led them into the bunker. It was rounded, and the bottom of the door was three inches off the floor, meaning he had to step over it to get inside.

The room was tiny, and claustrophobic. There was a tiny sink set into the corner next to a shower stall that had to be the smallest in history. The toilet was built next to the door and looked like something a person might find on a bus or a plane. It was entirely chrome. Mamoru shook his head. At least there was a bathroom. It was more than they would have had without the help of Alternate Earth Grandfather Hino.

As Mamoru took care of his bladder and washed his hands, his mind was on the concept of alternate universes. Were they created by changing decisions people made, or had they always been there? It was an interesting topic. One that he and Motoki had often talked about in their classes. Now that he was in an alternate world, Mamoru thought it had to be events happening differently. If he and Usagi and all the others had been taken as children in this timeline, he could see why the planet was a wasteland. Without Usagi to beat Metalia, this version of earth had been hopeless.

When he went back into the main room, Mamoru checked on Usagi, who was still sleeping. Then he went to the cupboards to try and find something they could eat for breakfast. They had to find a way to reverse the vortex so they could get back home. They would need to do research to understand them, and that was a difficult task. As far as he knew, he was the only one in the group really interested in science.

"What time is it?" Aoto asked, climbing out of his bunk.

"I have no idea what time it is on this version of earth," Mamoru admitted. "We were pulled through that vortex in the afternoon on our earth, but it was the middle of the night when we fell into that lake. The sun didn't rise for hours. If we were on our version of earth it would be eleven in the morning right now," he added, checking his communicator, which was built to look like a normal watch.

"Probably pretty close to morning here then," Aoto said, moving to look through the cupboards. "Please tell me you saw coffee."

"Instant," Mamoru said, pulling down a jar. "Is there a tea kettle?"

"Yes, thank the kami," Aoto answered, grabbing it from a shelf to the side of the stove. He filled it with water from one of the bottles. "I don't know if it is safe to drink anything from the faucet," he said when Mamoru glanced at the bottle. "Those purifying tablets make me think it isn't."

"There is a river behind the property," Mamoru said. "At least, there is in our reality. Maybe that's where the water is coming from. It would probably be better to boil any water we intend to drink, and use the purifying tablets."

When the water had boiled, Mamoru poured some into a mug and stirred in the coffee. He saw a container of hot chocolate and smiled. Grandfather Hino really had prepared for them. He wondered why. At least Usagi would have something she enjoyed when she woke up.

"I don't know how much help I can be in understanding a vortex," Aoto said as he settled across from Mamoru. "I don't really enjoy the sciences. I can help with organization though, and Hoshiko and I can do other things, like making meals and cleaning up. I don't want you two to feel like you're in this alone."

"Arigato," Mamoru said, feeling grateful. "I'm worried about what information there is. Usagi isn't huge on science either, but she has a natural ability to understand things I'll never get. Instinct maybe." He shrugged.

"I wanted to warn you about something," Aoto said, lowering his voice further.

"What's wrong?" Mamoru asked. The last thing they needed was something else derailing their plans to get home.

"Back on our earth, my coworkers and I were just pitched an idea. We signed a contract a few days ago to be the hosts of a show all about the Senshi. It is supposed to include all the gossip, information about all the enemies you faced, and any sightings. I thought you should know."

Mamoru was shocked. He had never considered that the Senshi were so popular. In recent months he had seen new videogames like the Sailor V ones, and there were plush toys of the Senshi in the crane game, but a show devoted to them might be a problem. Still, Aoto had promised to help them keep their secret. He would be an ally.

"Thanks for letting me know," he said.

"Morning," Hoshiko murmured, crawling down the ladder from the top bunk over Aoto's. She stumbled to the table, then looked around. "Is there a bathroom?"

"I was wondering the same thing," Aoto muttered.

Mamoru pointed out the small door and smiled at Hoshiko as she stumbled away. She reminded him a little of Usagi in that way, though they looked nothing alike. In the brighter lights of the bunker he could tell her hair was a deep plum color, with eyes that matched almost perfectly. She was slightly taller than Usagi too, though she was just as accident prone if the walk to the jinja was anything to go by.

With Usagi still sleeping, Mamoru moved to the shelf with all the books and papers. He could see several books on vortices, and gathered them up along with the mini-computer. He knew how to use one of those and was grateful. At least that would have some information readily available. He began to work, thinking about how happy Usagi would be if he could get her home.

* * *

Usagi had woken up long after the others. She felt better, but still weaker than she had been on their own earth. After using the bathroom and taking a short, but thankfully hot, shower, she had joined Mamoru at the table. While he looked through the books, she began working through the loose papers. She noticed an equation that was repeated in several places. The phenomenon was described in several ways.

"I think we have to reverse the flow," Mamoru murmured. "Maybe if we make it spin in the opposite direction we can go through from this world into ours again. But if we do that, we need a way to stop any more from being formed."

"Should we attack Metalia in this world then?" Usagi asked. She was worried. Without the others to help them, she wasn't sure if they could win.

"I'm not sure that's necessary. If it is, we will find a way to beat her again, but hopefully we can simply destroy whatever is making the vortices. Maybe some sort of bomb." He shook his head.

"There's a bunch of videos about what makes a vortex. I know water is involved," Usagi murmured. "Wind speed and so many other things go into this. Can you make sense of this equation?" She handed over the one she had found and watched as his brow furrowed.

"Maybe. I would need to use the mini-computer to make a simulation. Perhaps I can figure out how to reverse the flow." He shook his head.

Usagi glanced over at Hoshiko, who was going through all the different foods. Then she looked to where Aoto was searching through the supplies on the wall. He had pulled down the wagon and was looking at several bungie cords. She wondered what he was thinking.

"Mamo-chan?" she asked. "Are we planning to go back out?"

"Not yet," he murmured, reaching for Usagi's hand. "But soon we are going to have to go out and search for whatever is making these vortices so that we can try and reverse them. We need to be ready. Hoshiko and Aoto are trying to put together a pack so that when we do go out we can bring back whatever we need, and so that we don't run out of food or water."

"Oh."

Mamoru squeezed her hand. "Hey, I had a question."

"Hmm?" She met his incredibly vivid midnight blue eyes. "What's up?"

"Right before we were taken, you were about to suggest a place we could go on a date. What was it?"

Usagi blushed. "I was thinking we could go to the boardwalk on Odaiba. We could cross the rainbow bridge and do some shopping. I really want to go on the Ferris wheel and they have some incredible game centers out there. I figure there is something for both of us. We could visit historic sites and scientific ones, and then we could play games and eat."

"I like that," Mamoru murmured. "Maybe we can do that on a Sunday, so we have the entire day to ourselves."

"I can't wait," Usagi said, unable to stop blushing. They'd been on dates before, but talking about it where others could hear was different. She peeped up at Mamoru and found him smiling at her with a look of absolute devotion on his face. His love for her meant everything.

Both of them returned to their work, but Usagi felt better than she had. The thought of doing something special with Mamoru gave her something to look forward to. That filled her with hope. And if there was one thing Usagi was good at, it was fixing things with hope and a prayer.


End file.
